Wakefield, Mass. – April 16, 2015 – SEMPO, the world's largest nonprofit organization serving the search and digital marketing industry and the marketing professionals engaged in it, today announced the launch of a new initiative to deliver improved benefits to its members at the local level. The program, SEMPO Cities, replaces informal local member groups and offers standardized support for local community events. In addition, October will become "SEMPO Cities Month" with a focus on local events, all supported by SEMPO sponsorship.

Interested parties are invited to nominate themselves online as candidates for 2015 SEMPO Cities leadership in their areas; nominations close May 8. SEMPO Cities details will be described at an open April 22 webinar, open to members and non-members who are interested in being a SEMPO Cities Leader or Organizer (representative of a local sponsoring organization). Global SEMPO Cities sponsorship opportunities are also available.

Pre- and post-event toolkits for local leaders with content suggestions, best practices, branding materials, and more

Monthly City leadership calls to continuously better local efforts

Distribution of materials membership-wide after local events

Eased fundraising efforts for local leaders via central support

"SEMPO Cities brings all the moving parts into one functional, central system that will enable us to address everyone's needs equitably," said Krista LaRivière, Vice President of SEMPO Cities. "City Leaders will retain control over their local activities, as well as responsibility for promoting them, but they'll have the benefit of centrally-shared resources, information and support. SEMPO Cities will ensure that no one has to reinvent the wheel: SEMPO City leaders will be freer to focus on what's most important to members in their communities. If you are interested in leading SEMPO activity in your city, I urge you to nominate yourself and join us in this exciting new endeavor."

The SEMPO Cities initiative will be highlighted during October 2015, SEMPO Cities Month, when all city groups will promote and execute local events simultaneously. SEMPO is also planning its first global in-person event, the SEMPO Member Forum, which will take place in the spring of 2016. City Leaders and Organizers will be important contributors to the agenda for this event.

SEMPO events center on education, networking, and its well-respected research. To support its educational mission, the organization provides a professional-level webinar series, a "101" webinar series, and face-to-face education programs delivered at the local level that provide opportunities for members to network throughout the world.

About SEMPO

SEMPO is a global non-profit organization serving the search and digital marketing industry and the marketing professionals engaged in it. Its purpose is to provide a foundation for industry growth through building stronger relationships, fostering awareness, providing education, promoting the industry, generating research, and creating a better understanding of search and its role in marketing.

SEMPO includes thousands of professionals across 50 countries. The organization's mission is to represent the common interests of companies and consultants worldwide and provide them with a voice in the marketplace. SEMPO's education and outreach initiatives are funded in part by Google and Baidu. For more information or to join the organization, visit www.SEMPO.org.